Clearwater catcher Cole Ezell throws to a teammate during a drill at a recent practice in Piedmont. Ezell and the Tigers will be lead by new coach Joe McCallister. (Alex Abate/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

PIEDMONT -- After a tough off-season, the Lady Tigers are getting back on their feet.

The flood last March hit the Clearwater softball team especially hard as it flooded out their field and washed away the dugouts and fencing, leaving virtually nothing familiar. However, with help from the community and others even outside the state, the Lady Tigers field is expected to be ready for their first game.

"We was out here and this group of kids walked up and they were medical students from Virginia Tech," coach Shannon England said. "They drove all the way out from Virginia, it was like a little army of them, they just started picking up the big pieces of dugout and carrying them off to the side."

During the time the field was unplayable, the Lady Tigers played at the middle school and at a church field in town. The team is looking forward to having a secure home after moving around Piedmont and playing on different fields.

"When you don't have your own place to go, it is hard to get anything going," England said.

The Lady Tigers have some familiar faces back from last year that will be relied upon to produce. Alex Green, who had a solid fall last season, can swing the bat.

"(She) tore of the cover off the ball in the fall, had a little bit of a down spring," England said. "Hopefully, she will be one that can come in and we can lean on as far as a hitting standpoint."

England is emphasizing unity to his squad this fall.

"We don't need one person to be the huge superstar," England said. "We want to play as a team and have everybody contribute. That is going to lead to more success than just our one or two that have outstanding seasons."

BASEBALL: After a trip to the MSHSAA quarterfinals during the spring, the Tigers are looking to keep improving, this time with a different leader.

Joe McCallister, is the first year coach at Clearwater after having previous coaching experience as an assistant. McCallister, who is taking over for Justin Dobbins who is now at Neelyville, said he has a similar style to Dobbins.

"A lot of the things Coach Dobbins done here worked well and I will build on some of those and then add a few of my own," McCallister said. "We are very similar from what I understand, in styles. We have a good group of kids that work hard and that is the main thing is keeping them focused and working hard every day."

The Tigers lost key bats Dan Smith and Jake Hime from last season but still have some hitters coming back. Kyle Randolph and Kendall Fay are back, both solid contact hitters and Trey Hill is also returning after batting as the designated hitter much of last season.

"As far as coaching strategy in games, it is just being aggressive," McCallister said. "I am a very aggressive-type guy. I like to put pressure on the defense, hit and runs, stolen bases, things like that. We'll come out right out of the box and try to put pressure on the other team."

The loss to Scott City at the end of last spring is still fresh in the players' minds.

"I have heard a lot of talk about it amongst the kids since I have been here, it is fresh on their mind," McCallister said. "They keep talking about it with each other and they are wanting to take that next step, they are hungry to make it to state."

VOLLEYBALL: After losing just two seniors last season, coach Rae Jean Fuchs is hoping for a strong campaign.

The Lady Tigers are returning four starters including Emily Miller and Tiffany Tucker.

"(We have) girls coming in that are pretty strong and can step up and do the job," Fuchs said. "These girls have been playing together since freshman and sophomore year."

The Lady Tigers are hoping to work hard and make up for some of their weak spots, Fuchs said.

"We don't have any height but we have some aggressive and greedy girls that can step up to the plate," she said. "The biggest thing, like I said, not having much height, (the) expectations are to play good defense and run the quickest offense we can run."

Fuchs has been impressed with the team as a whole going into the season.

"The whole group just seems to click together," Fuchs said. "They have got that fire. When you have that, even though you are lacking a few other things, that is always a plus."